Mister Roberts's Neighborhood

One thing I love is seeing a movie that I'd heard of before but didn't really know anything about, and being blown away by how good it is. Last night, I watched Mister Roberts, and it charmed the bajeezers out of me. (That's a good thing, because I've been trying to get rid of my bajeezers for months.)

Mister Roberts would follow the adventures of the crew of the S.S. Reluctant, if there were any adventures to report. As a WWII cargo-supply ship stationed well out of harm's way in the nether regions of the South Pacific, tedium is the rule of thumb and Doug Roberts (Henry Fonda) wants a transfer to where the action is. The hard-nosed, malevolent Captain Morgan (James Cagney) won't endorse the transfer, leaving Doug to stew in his juices--and leading to a confrontation where he will place the well-being of his men ahead of his own ambitions.

The movie works not only as a sweet, poingnant dramedy, but as a laugh-out-loud comedy as well. (Think M*A*S*H, only more patriotic, and without the pretention OR Corporal Klinger.) Jack Lemmon provides much of the comic relief as the squirrely Ensign Pulver, a ne'er-do-well junior officer with the potential to harass his Captai--but lacking Mister Roberts' will to stand up to him. One particular scene, involving a firecracker, a laundry room, and an awful lot of soap, is by itself worth the 123-minute investment.

The DVD has two fantastic special features: Commentary by Jack Lemmon, who won an Oscar for his role as Ensign Pulver (and, more imporantly, launched his 50+ year film career), and a recording of The Ed Sullivan Show in which Lemmon, Fonda, and Cagney perform scenes from the movie (which, in its previous life, was a long-running Broadway show and a book) in front of a live audience. Not only is it a treat to see the three stage actors in their original element, but it serves as a reminder of the potential of a medium that has largely declined into a Hulk Hogan reality show mess.